Sickle Cell is gearing up for its 33rd Annual Softball Tournament
Softball Tournament to raise funds set for July 10 - 12
Shreveport, LA - For 33 years, men and women come with their families from throughout the South, and all over the nation to help the Northwest Louisiana Chapter of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America raise funds. They do this by entering a three-day softball tournament held in Shreveport, Louisiana. The activity kicks off is Friday, July 10, 2009 with the AT&T Home Run Derby.
Sickle Cell is debilitating and a painful disorder that affects red blood cells. It’s a serious health problem that encroaches on the lives of many individuals. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins of the R&B group TLC is one of more than 80,000 people across the United States living daily with this disease.
The softball tournament helps the local sickle cell organization do its part to help find a cure for, and ease the pain of the sickle cell patients residing in the 10 parishes that make up Northwest Louisiana. Last year’s tourney had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather, so we are asking EVERYONE to come out and support us this year!! The group’s goal is to raise $80,000 this year to support research, education, and sickle cell-stricken people in the community.
The softball tournament will kick off with the AT&T Homerun Derby at Cargill Park, July 10, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.; 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of the Home Run Derby. Teams will be eliminated from the tournament to be held at Cargill and Southern Hills parks throughout the weekend. Participants play into the wee hours of the morning. No one goes home until the best team wins. Admission is only $5 per car ($2.00 for walk-ins) on Saturday and Sunday and we are asking that the public please use the Wisteria Street entrance to the park.
Herman Vital, Softball Tournament Director estimated that over 200 teams will be competing Friday – Sunday, July 10, 11 and 12, 2009 at Cargill and Southern Hills fields. Teams come mostly from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. However, there are teams that come from as far away as California, Illinois, Tennessee, and Florida.
"Each year, this tournament grows," said Softball Chairman Roy Burrell. He heads the committee that organizes the event. "The committee has done some things differently and we expect that to directly impact the number of participants and economic impact this event has on Shreveport-Bossier."
All money collected from the tournament helps the 800 local sickle cell patients. These patients come from a 10-parish area in Northwest Louisiana. Through research and education, scientists have been able to determine that the disease doesn’t just affect black people though blacks are stricken more with it. Teams interested in participating in the event or individuals wishing to make a contribution to a worthy cause can call (318) 636-5300, email us at nwlascdaa@bellsouth.net or visit our web page at www.sicklecellnwla.org.